Magic-wielding Churchwitch and secret addict Chess Putnam knows better than anyone just how high a price people are willing to pay for a chemical rush. But when someone with money to burn and a penchant for black magic starts tampering with Downside’s drug supply, Chess realizes that the unlucky customers are paying with their souls—and taking the innocent with them, as the magic-infused speed compels them to kill in the most gruesome ways possible.

As if the streets weren’t scary enough, the looming war between the two men in her life explodes, taking even more casualties and putting Chess squarely in the middle. Downside could become a literal ghost town if Chess doesn’t find a way to stop both the war and the dark wave of death-magic, and the only way to do that is to use both her addiction and her power to enter the spell and chase the magic all the way back to its malevolent source. Too bad that doing so will probably kill Chess—if the war doesn’t first destroy the man who’s become her reason for living.

I rarely write my reviews immediately after finishing a book but at the end of my unintentional, 13 hour Chasing Magic read-a-thon, all I wanted was more Stacia Kane! Unfortunately for me, I’m now caught-up on this series and stuck playing the waiting game right alongside all of the other poor Downside fans. So, I opted to do the next best thing: talk about it! This latest installment was pure perfection; from its intense story line, to its emotionally charged revelations and heart-wrenching turning points. Chess and Terrible are at their best when Downside’s at its worse and, you don’t get more horrid than what Chasing Magic dishes out which is only one of the many reasons why this audiobook was just so darned good!

The story stars off on an oddly happy note which should have been my first warning that this installment was going to be a doozy. Elder Griffin is getting married and has invited Chess to his wedding with her plus one. For the first time in this series the two most important people in Putnam’s life are about to meet and the result is rather… unexpected. What begins as fear of disapproval quickly morphs into lies, sacrifice and guilt; I hated seeing Chess’ relationship with her mentor get tested but, on the flip side, it also helped to put things in perspective which in turn made her and Terrible’s relationship stronger so it’s hard to be upset about that. I’ll be curious to see what the future holds for Elder Griffin after this book’s events.

Chess and Terrible are incredible in Chasing Magic; they are finally on the same page and working hard at making a future together. Putnam’s loyalties are tested as I knew they would be and, in spite of one small moment of weakness, she passes with flying colours. This series is known for its powerful sex scenes and, in this installment Terrible claims Putnam in the most primal of ways after a questionable encounter between her and Lex. Definitely an intense listen! Chess and Terrible bare their souls to each other in this book and the lengths they are willing to go to for one another are revealed and turn out to be just as shocking as they are moving. I’m not normally a crier but this one even had me tearing up at times.

One of the things that I love most about these novels is how imaginative the plot lines are and book 5 certainly delivers on that front. What starts off as a drug deal gone bad quickly spirals out-of-control as a third player tries to take over Lex and Bump’s territory. This isn’t your typical guns and thugs takeover though but rather a supernatural war that’s being fought with zombies and magic. Chess is forced to push her skills as a witch to the max and she discovers an inner strength that she never knew she had. The story ends on a high note with Terrible and Putnam getting as close to a HEA as they are probably capable of or at least, that is, until the next installment!

I can’t sing enough praise for Bahni Turpin and for her narration of this series. Stacia Kane’s writing keeps me coming back for more but it’s her voice that has me in true awe of these books. Chasing Magic is a spectacular listen that’ll have you suffering from Downside withdrawals the moment it’s over.

I need to read this. I binge read the previous 4 then I got burned out and shelved this one. It’s been over a year and it’s buried so deep on my TBR. I think I need to pen this on my calendar so I can catch up before the next one is released.